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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. P. ELLIOTT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

Patented Nov. 17, 1885.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. P. ELLIOTT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 3.

- W. P. ELLIOTT.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING GAS.

No. 330,778 I Patented Nov. 1'7, 1885.

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TTE STATES WALTER r. ELLIOTT, or NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR MAKBNG GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,778,6ated November17,1885.

Application filed March 6, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER P. ELLIOTT, of New Brunswick, in the countyof Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Apparatus for Making Gas, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus for making gas whereinare comprised a generating-furnace and a combustion-chamber whichcommunicates with the generatingfurnace, retorts for bituminous coalarranged in the combustion-chamber, and pipes whereby air-blast may beadmitted to the generatingfurnace for blowing up tlie fire therein andfor supplying air to produce combustion of the gaseous fuel in thecombustion-chamber and steam for decomposition, the retorts in thecombustion chamber being heated both by the combustion of gaseous fueltherein and by the hot gas produced by the decomposition of steam in thegenerating-furnace.

The invention consists in novel features in the construction, and in themanner of combining the several parts of the apparatus, as will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of anapparatus embodying my invention, taken on the plane of the dotted linea; m, Fig. 2, which latter figure is asectional elevation on the planeof the dotted line 3 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section on the planeof the dotted line 2 2, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section onthe plane of the dotted line 1 Figs. 1 and 2. I

Similar letters ofreference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

This apparatus, like other gasapparatus of similar character, may beconstructed of firebrick, a, inclosed within a metallic shell or casing,b, and having between the brick walls and the shell or casing a space,0, which may be filled with ashes or other loose material, and whichprovides for the expansion of the parts of the structure while inoperation.

A designates the generatingfurnace, which may be circular in form, andin which is a grate, B, that may consist of pipe through which acirculation of water may be maintained. Below the grate B is an ash-pitdoor, a, and an inlet aperture, a through which Serial No.157,873. (N0model.)

blasts of air may be supplied from any suitable source of pressure. Ihave also shown a second inlet, (0 for air-blast, near the top of thefurnace-chamber A, and at the top of said chamber is a filling throat oraperture, cf, which is to be closed by a suitable lid or cover, andwhich is about coincident with the fioor 13* of the retort-house.

Above the furnace and extending to one side thereof is a chamber, 0, thetop of which may be arched, as shown, and in which are arranged a numberof ordinary closed retorts, D, for the distillation of bituminous coal.The retort-mouths D are to be closed by suitable covers, (Z, and fromthese mouths standpipes d extend upward and are joined by the usualbridge-pipes, d to the dip-pipes d which project downward into ahydraulic main, 13*, arranged transversely above the bench of retorts.The several retorts D are supported at their front and rear ends in thewalls a a, which form the opposite ends of the chamber 0, and they maybe supported one above another by suitable tiles or blocks, d*, as bestshown in Fig. 2. From the generatingfurnace A the gas and non-consumedproducts of partial combustion pass upward through a throat or passage,c (shown in Figs. 1 and 2,) and to them is there added air-blast fromthe inlet a The oxygen of the air and the gaseous fuel combine in thechamber 0 around the retorts, andproduce very hot combustion therein.The arrangement of the retorts D, as shown in Fig. 2, is such that thegases, while being consumed, and the hot products of combustion arecaused to circulate upward between the two retorts which are arrangedone above another on each side of the throat a and thence outward belowthe upper retort D, and downward on each side near the wall of thechamber. In the bottom of the chamber are two flues, e, which extendlengthwise below the retorts, arranged one above another, and acrosswhich are laid tiles e, as shown in Figs. 2and 3. The openings 0*between the tiles e afford ample provision for the passage of theproducts of combustion into the fines e, and thence they pass rearwardthrough these two flues and enter the base of the upright chamber orstack E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4..

In the chamber E is a filling, which may be composed of blocks or tilese, of refractory material, piled one on another, cob house fashion, andfrom the top of the chamberE extends a pipe, 6 which communicates with asmoke-stack. (Not here shown.)

From the side of the chamber E, at the upper end, extends a gas-outletpipe, F,which is surrounded by a jacket, f, to which naphtha, or otherliquid hydrocarbon is conducted by a pipe, f, and from whichnaphtha-vapor will pass by apipe, f and valve f, to the chamber 0 aroundthe retorts D.

If desired, I may introduce the liquid hydrocarbon itself directly intothe chamber 0 around the retorts, and it will be there vaporized andmingled with the products of decomposition.

g designates a steampipe entering below the grate B, and which may besupplied with superheated steam from any suitable source.

In the operation of my apparatus air-blast is admitted through theinlets a a, and the blowing up of the fires is continued until the fuelin the generating-furnace A is raised to a point of incandescence, andthe retorts D are heated to a distilling-point. The refractory materialin the chamber E will then be at a sufficiently high heat to permanentlyfix any naphtha-vapor which may pass through it. The retorts D are thencharged with bituminous coal, and steam is admitted through the pipe gand hydrocarbon vapor through the valve and pipe f f. The steam passingupward through the fire in the furnace A will become decomposed andconverted largely into carbonic oxide and hydrogen, and these, passingupward into the chamber 0, serve to impart additional heat to theretorts for distilling the coal therein, and receive in said chamber Gthe naphtha-vapor delivered thereinto. From thence the products ofdecomposition and the naphtha-vapor pass upward through the chamber E,where the naphtha becomes permanantly fixed by the heat of therefractory material contained therein. The gas thus produced may betaken through the pipe F to any suitable place, and it may be added tothe coal-gas which issues from the hydraulic main by the exhaustpipe h.(Shown in Fig. 2.) This addition of the watergas to the coal-gas fromthe hydraulic main may take place immediately before the gas passes tothe scrubber, or before the gas passes through the purifier, or beforeor after the gas is taken by the exhauster; or, if desired, the watergasand coal-gas may be maintained separate from each other entirely.

The coke which is withdrawn from the re torts D from time to time may,as much of it as is desired, be introduced into the generating-furnaceA, and there be used as fuel.

In addition to coke,I may take tar from the hydraulic main 13* throughthe pipe i, and conduct it into the furnace A, as shown in Fig. 2. Thispipe 71 may be provided with a valve, 6*, for controlling the passage oftar through it.

When the fire in the furnace A becomes cooled to such an extent that itno longer suffices for decomposing steam, the admission of steammay bestopped and the fire again blown up. Of course, the air-inlets a a willbe closed while admitting steam to be decomposed, and the smoke-outlet6*" will be closed by a suitable valve or damper, such as is commonlyused in watergas apparatus.

Important advantages result from combining the parts as hereinbeforedescribed. The retorts D are entirely closed and the gas producedtherein is taken off and delivered into the hydraulic main in the usualway, and hence there cannot be any admixture therewith of the wastegases resulting from combustion in the furnace A. All the ammonia andother valuable residual products resulting from distillation of coal inthe closed retorts are saved.

In the operation of the apparatus the products of combustion whileblowing up and the gas produced by the decomposition of steam bothcontribute to the heating of the retorts and the distillation of coaltherein.

It is advantageous to have the closed retorts contained in a chamber,which is substantially separate from the furnace, and which onlycommunicates therewith by a throat, a, because the gases produced byimperfect combustion in the furnace combine in the chamber O with theair-blast admitted at the inlet a and produce a very hot combustionaround the retorts. Inasmuch as'the flues e, which serve as the onlycommunication between the retort-chamber O and the fixing-chamber E, areat the bottom of the retort-chamber, the hot products of combustion andthe hot gas produced by decomposing steam are not hurried from theretort-chamber and are retained as long aspossible therein around theretorts, so as to serve most effectively in heating them.

It is advantageous to mingle the hydrocarbon vapors with the water-gasas soon as such vapors are generated, or as soon as such vapors aresubjected to very great heat,because then the vapors are shielded fromexcessive heat from the water-gas and prevented from being burned up.

I am aware of United States Letters Patent No. 295,832 and No. 301,531,granted, respectively, March 25, 1884, and July 8, 1884, to J. L.Stewart, and I do not desire to include in my invention anything shownor described in said patents. In both said patents there are retorts fordistilling bituminous coal, which have openings in constantcommunication with the furnace, and which are arranged in a passagebetween the furnace and a fixingchamber, and said retorts are notarranged in any well-defined chamber which is separate from the furnaceand communicates with the furnace by a throat, as in my apparatus; hencethe hot products of combustion and the hot gas produced by decomposingsteam are not retained in contact with the retorts, as theyare in myapparatus.

In the Stewart apparatus the hydrocarbon liquid is vaporized in retortswherein the vapor is subjected to great heat before it is mingled withthe water-gas.

In the Stewart Patent No. 301,531, a pipe extends from the open retort,and itis proposed to attach thereto an exhauster to take off gas fromthe retort. Inasmuch, however, as the retort is always open to thefurnace, there will certainly be more liability of drawing waste furnacegases into the retort than there is in my apparatus.

In the patent to Du Motay, Reissue No. 8,695, granted May 16, 1879, isshown an apparatus comprising two furnaces and a retortchambercontaining closed retorts, the furnaces being alternately supplied withair for blowing the fires up to heat the retorts and steam fordecomposing to produce carbonic oxide. In this apparatus there is nofixingchamber and no mingling of hydrocarbon vapor with the gas, and thegas is taken off without passing through the retort-chamber and withoutcontributing in any way to the heating of the retorts.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination, with agenerating-furnace, and a retortchamber separate therefrom butcommunicat ing at one end therewith, of anumber of closed retortsarranged in said chamber with their mouths presented outside thechamber, and pipes for conducting from said retorts gas produced by thedistillation of coal therein, pipes for introducing air-blast both aboveand below the fire in the furnace, a pipe for introducing steam belowthe fire in the furnace, and a fixing-chamber containing refractorymaterial and communicating with the farther end of said retort-chamber,and through which the products of combustion and decomposition arecaused to pass from the retort or combus tion chamber, substantially asherein described.

2. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination, with a generating-furnaceand a combustion-chamber separate therefrom but communicating at one endtherewith, and a fixingchamber containing refractory material, and whichextends upward from the other end of the combustion-chamber, and fromthe upper end of which leads a smoke-stack and an outlet-pipe for gas,of a number of closed retorts arranged in the combustion chamber, andpipes for conducting away the gas produced by the distillation of coaltherein, pipes for introducing air-blast in the furnace below the fire,for adding air-blast to the non-consumed gaseous products as they passfrom the furnace into the combustion-chamber, and a pipe for introducingsteam below the fire in the furnace, substantially as herein described.

3. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination, with a generating-furnaceand a combustion-chamber separate therefrom, but communicating at oneend therewith, and a fixingchamber containing refractory material andextending upward from the other end of said combustion chamber, of anumber of closed retorts arranged in the combustion-chamber, and pipesfor conducting away the gas produced by the distillation of coal in saidretorts, a pipe for introducing liquid hydrocarbon or vapor directlyinto said combustion-chamloer around the heated retorts, pipes forintroducing airblast below the fire in the furnace and for introducingair-blast to mingle with the nonconsumed gaseous products as they passfrom the furnace into the combustionchamber, and

a pipe for introducing steam below the fire in the furnace,substantially as herein described.

4. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination, with thegenerating-furnace A and the combustion-chamber O, communicating at oneend with the furnace by a throat or passage, a and arranged above thesame, of the closed retorts D, arranged in the combustion-chamber, flues6, extending rearward at the bottom of the combustion-chamber below thesaid retorts, a fixing-chamber, E, extending upward from the farther endof the combustion-chamber, inlet-pipes a a for admitting air-blast aboveand below the fire in the furnace, and a pipe for admitting steam belowthe fire in the furnace, substantially as herein described.

5. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination, with the furnace A andits inlets a a, of the combustion-chamber O, communicating at one endwith the furnace by a throat or passage,aafiXing-chamber,E,containingrefractory material and extending upwardfrom the other end of the combustion-chamber, closed retorts D, arrangedin the combustion-chamber, fines 6, extending rearward at the bottom ofthe combustionchamber below the retorts and communicating with thefixing-chamber E, a smoke-pipe and a gas-outlet pipe, F, at the top ofthe fixing-chamber, a jacket, f, surrounding the pipe F, and the pipef",for conducting hydrocarbon vapor from said jacket and delivering itdirectly into the combustionchamber 0, around the retorts therein,substantially as herein described.

WVALTER P. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. IsBELL, O. HALL.

IIO

